Having spent countless hours cranking on industrial quality french fry cutters in commercial restaurants, I would love to say good things about this lightweight home version, the Chefs French Fry Cutter. I can't. The handles are weak stamped stainless steel, the bearings and slides are plain metal ...

The all steel design of this 9" cutting edge Damascus stainless steel carving knife from Shun Cutlery uses methods similar to those that created the best samurai swords. The result is a traditional knife with superior edge holding and cutting ability, and a look good enough for dining service.

Shun's ...

This Japanese style slicing knife from Wusthof of Solingen, Germany, incorporates some good features from both styles. Much better than a typical chef's knife for slicing vegetables and making other fine cuts, the Wusthof version is not a complete concession to Japanese ideas.

Wusthof retains the forged construction that's a trademark of ...

A set of five prep knives in one of Wusthof's oldest patterns, this Classic block set might have been near the top of the heap twenty years ago--now it's a good set that needs some help.

The knives in this assortment cover the full range of kitchen tasks, but they do this ...

This patented wire blade Cheese Slicer from Nuance is more than the usual wire knife and cutting board. Designed for storage and serving as well as slicing, the patented system creates stacks of uniform slices of medium soft cheeses like Monterey Jack, Cheddar, and American.

It's always cheaper to buy ...

Practical knives designed with elegant presentation in mind, these three solid stainless steel blades handle the full range of cheese textures, from hard Parmesan to soft Camembert. The set is suited to dining service as well as kitchen work.

Three knives with extreme differences in blade design make up this ...

If you've worked in a fast paced restaurant kitchen you probably know this monster of a prep tool already. When you need a ton of uniform potato slices that will cook evenly in a clockwork time frame, you don't cut them by hand on a cutting board. You use ...

Five knives and a sharpening steel in this assortment from well known manufacturer Wusthof of Solingen, Germany, would make a very welcome and lasting gift set for anyone starting out in a kitchen of their own. On the other hand, if you are making the decisions yourself it may make ...

Bought the Ruhlman charcuterie book and are looking to outfit your kitchen to be a home version of a salumeria?

This might be a good choice for the obsessive home cook willing to trade capacity, precision, and power for a low cost version of a professional grade slicer. It's definitely ...

With a PakkaWood handle built for lefties, this Shun Classic 9 Inch Damascus Stainless Steel Bread Knife retains all the fine features of that high quality modern cutlery. The D-shaped handle, made from layers of resin saturated birchwood, is oriented for left handed grips.

Using some of the techniques ...

Believe it or not, there was a time when even the best knives were made in this pattern and people were happy with them. Today it's possible to pick apart the details and complain that the metal ferrule over wooden handle may conceal a gap where moisture can collect, or ...

The ten inch stainless steel blade of this Henckels TWIN Pro-S Carving Knife is enough to smoothly slice the largest roasts and hams, as well as poultry and fish. One piece forged steel construction gives the knife extra strength, with a heavy blade resistant to twisting and bending, ...

This fine set of four stamped stainless steel steak knives in the TWIN Gourmet style from J. A. Henckels is a serving pattern that will harmonize with many modern table settings. The dark handle slabs and triple riveted full tang construction is far stronger than is necessary for ...

The 12 inch diamond dust coated Extra Fine Grit Diamond Steel from Diamond Machining Technology can hone the edge of even the hardest modern stainless steel knives, but this honing level grit is not suitable for restoring or reshaping a damaged blade.

Diamond abrasive sharpening tools are now widely accepted by ...

This 6" stainless prep knife from Wusthof of Solingen, Germany, shows the strong one piece forged blade, bolster, tang and end cap that made Wusthof's older Classic line one of the most durable around. The design of the Ikon handles has been much improved over the squared handle slab ...

Beautifully constructed of solid stainless steel with a blade forged in the famous Shun Damascus pattern, this small vegetable chopping knife has the raised handle design created by Chef Alton Brown. Chef Brown liked the quality and efficiency of Shun cutlery but found that his hands were too large to ...

I've been cooking for a very long time now and I still have close calls with knives. Putting one of my razor edged santoku into the hands of a kid with great ambitions would be a nerve wracking event for me--there are all sorts of things that could go ...

This set of two small prep knives from Calphalon of Germany offers both a 6" utility knife and a 3.5" paring knife in full tang forged stainless steel patterns. The comfortable shaped and durable polymer handles add a modern look.

With heavy blades and bolsters, these knives won't have the slicing efficiency of ...

This Wusthof solid oak In-Drawer Storage Tray is one of those simple but brilliant ideas that makes you wish you'd thought of it yourself. If you don't have a knife block, or space for one, this storage system is a perfect alternative that fits in most kitchen drawers. ...

With sharp V-shaped blades, settings for thick and thin slicing, and a simple design that produces bowls of full width chips or julienned vegetables in minutes, the V-Slicer from Swissmar Borner has a faithful following and no shortage of satisfied customers. Whether you will like this simplified mandoline will depend ...

If you understand a few technical things about steel, when you look at this Damascus stainless steel carving knife with 9" blade from Shun it's hard to even imagine anything about it could be less than perfect. The blend of modern materials and traditional design is so good, ...

Especially popular with raw food enthusiasts, the Spiralo 3 from World Cuisine quickly transforms suitable produce like sweet potatoes and zucchini into beautiful spiral slices and two sizes of "vegetable pasta." Even with the one year warranty, the lightweight ABS plastic construction will require some extra care in actual ...

From Henckels of Solingen, Germany, this 8 piece block set in the Stylus pattern is actually made in China to Henckels' specifications. The high carbon stainless steel of these stamped blades is from rolls of steel approved by Henckels' engineers and the quality of this economical starter set is relatively ...

Available in several different hardwoods including oak, beechwood and walnut, with some forethought this 22 slot knife storage block from Wusthof can be a beautiful and useful addition to your kitchen.

Designed specifically for Wusthof products, this well made block will accept many other brands, with four slots large enough for full ...

Built with the same high standards as the larger knives in Henckels TWIN Classic series, this 4" Paring Knife could be one of the most used knives in your kitchen. For the mundane chores of cutting blemishes from fruit and vegetables and peeling onions, many people choose the worst knives ...

This electric can opener from West Bend is as stylish as it is efficient, available in five bold colors to match any modern kitchen decor. You'll probably still want it even if you live in a log cabin.

Only nine inches tall and compact in design, this can opener will ...

Wusthof's Gourmet 12" Baker's Knife is the perfect blade for the brave souls who practice the ancient art of cake torting. Rather than take the easy way and bake cakes in layers, some bakers actually use a knife like this one to cut cakes into horizontal layers, opening up ...

At last, a professional Chef's knife case you can trust--knife rolls may be the more common solution to traveling with cutlery, but soft-sided cases don't always mix well with fragile modern blades. This rugged fabric and leather roll-up from Shun solves most of the problems with a design that ...

The no-nonsense Classic line from Henckels of Solingen, Germany, still looks much the same as when the knives were first introduced, but the changes you don't see are great improvements over the old commercial Henckels cutlery. Over the years many advancements have taken place as the company upgraded steel, forging ...

The 7" serrated blade of this fine Henckels International Classic Bread Knife is specifically designed for making clean cuts in hard crusted or soft breads and pastries. The look is traditional, with a familiar dark polymer slab handle triple riveted to the full length forged tang. The forged bolster extends ...

The Grand Prix II version of the Wusthof 8 inch Offset Deli Knife offers one piece forged construction with a less rustic look than Wusthof's standard slab handled patterns. This versatile knife uses a full length rat tail tang concealed within an ergonomic black polypropylene handle, permanently ...

On the coarse side of this machine is a slot with diamond abrasive rods for quick removal of steel; on the fine side, a matching slot with two ceramic rods to refine the edge. A few strokes through each, and if all goes well, your knife should be ready ...

This 13 piece block set in Henckels International Forged Synergy pattern actually only has four kitchen prep knives to offer. The santoku, chef's knife, utility knife and paring knife will cover most of the ordinary kitchen tasks, but these are not all the knives you will need. Six knives in ...

These are the two knives that most home chefs will use most often--the 4" paring knife and 8" cook's knife. By themselves they are not a complete set, but unless you've shifted over to santoku these are still the ones most often in hand. Even if you prefer ...

This set of five Chic Chefs ceramic blade knives, complete with a hardwood knife block, offers two paring knives, a small utility knife, serrated bread knife, and chef's knife--all with features and limitations unique to zirconium oxide cutlery.

Zirconium oxide blades have several good features, retaining their sharpness as much as ...

Having spent some time in Asia I'm well aware that if pineapples were even slightly less than delicious, nobody would mess with them. Bring one back from the market as a gift for your gracious hosts and you might get a polite smile and a reluctant sigh from the person ...

One of the two knives many cooks use most, the Henckels TWIN Pro Paring Knife makes a perfect companion for either a chef's knife or a santoku. Often reserved for only the light duty chores, this forged pattern from Henckels Solingen stainless steel is strong enough to do tougher ...

As one of those who does prefer good ecologically sensible products, I'll say up front that I like bamboo when used correctly. I have a bamboo cutting board I use every day. This Bamboo Crumb Catching Board from Swissmar may appeal to those who bake their daily bread more ...

As a labor saving device I usually consider a mandoline somewhat suspect, because a cook skilled with a knife and cutting board can out-produce a mandoline operator if all that's required is sliced vegetables. In restaurants the mandoline or a similar device can assure product uniformity, which often is not critical in ...

Chroma Cutlery's award winning Type 301 knives, designed by F. A. Porsche, may at first glance strike you as more pretty than practical. Using them convinces most people that these ergonomic but unusual knives will do the work better, faster, and with less fatigue.

This boning knife, with a cutting ...

Many people who buy Henckels products expect all their knives to be hand forged. The Twin Signature series from which this 7 piece knife block set has been selected is one of Henckels' stamped product lines. What you can expect is quality, but not of the same kind ...

This small (6 1/4" cutting edge) Type 301 vegetable knife from Chroma Cutlery combines the familiar blade style of a cook's knife with the ergonomic solid stainless (18/10) steel handle that won designer F. A. Porsche several awards. Chefs sometimes choose cook's knives based on hand size, the heavier ...

Designed to fit over the range or grill of a Jenn Air cooktop when burners are not in use, this cover of laminated bamboo expands counter space and can even be used as a cutting board. The bottom of the board is cut out to fit over burners or griddle ...

With some concessions to competitive design--and new ideas of their own--Henckels brings us a patented new TWIN Cuisine 5" Santoku. This hollow ground pattern has been a standard tool in Asian kitchens but is relatively new here in the West. The Santoku design is a direct competitor of ...

Many years ago I had practical reasons to learn some things about old hand tools and the way things were done before "one size fits all" technology became standard. Today the kitchen is one of the few places where those old rules still apply, which is why I ...

For consistency alone, if you choose Chroma Type 301 knives for your kitchen, you'll want to complete that set with matching serving ware. This serrated 10 1/2" pastry knife from Chroma Cutlery will cut bread and pastry with perfection, and has all the unique characteristics of design and ...

The 8 inch International Classic Chef's Knife from J. A. Henckels Cutlery of Germany maintains the old standards in this modern version of the mainstay knife of Western kitchens. The specially formulated stainless steel blade of the Classic is forged from a single bar of high carbon alloy--blade, bolster and ...

Intended specifically for carving roasts, ham, poultry and other cooked meats, this 8 inch carving knife from Chroma fits in perfectly either at the dining table or in the kitchen, with style and functionality designed for either one. Winner of several awards for design, the Chroma 301 series ...

Victorinox's Forschner 12" granton edged Slicing Knife has the blade length to cut even slices from large roasts and other cooked meats, with a minimum of cutting strokes. The food you serve will have a better look when you use this well made professional quality blade.

The rat tail tang of ...

The vegetable cleaver is the most versatile knife in an Asian kitchen, equivalent to the chef's knife familiar in Europe and America. This Chroma Type 301 Vegetable Cleaver, in the pattern designed by F. A. Porsche, makes one of the most practical prep blades even better.

If you're shopping on the ...